Scottish Executive

Fire Service

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the decision of the Fire Brigades Union made in Glasgow on 12 June 2003.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive very much welcomes the decision of the Fire Brigades Union Recall Conference to accept the employers' pay offer and bring an end to the dispute. This will enable all the stakeholders to work together to take forward the vision for the fire service outlined in our consultation paper The Scottish Fire Service of the Future , which we published last year. We all want a better, more efficient service which is focussed on reducing the unacceptably high number of fatalities and injuries from fire and which makes full and effective use of the skills and commitment of its staff in achieving this.

Historic Sites

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many listed industrial buildings have been de-listed and subsequently demolished in each of the last four years.

Mr Frank McAveety: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  A number of buildings are removed from the statutory list of buildings of architectural or historic importance each year because they are no longer, through partial demolition or major alteration, of sufficient interest to merit protection under the legislation. In a few cases, buildings have been taken off the list because, as uninhabited structures, they are better protected as scheduled monuments. No records are kept centrally on what happens to buildings once they have been de-listed. The following industrial buildings have been de-listed over the last four years:

  Alloa Tannery

  Auchtermairnie Mill

  Former Caledonian Works, Glasgow (dismantled for re-erection)

  Former Greenhead Engine Works

  Former Vulcan Tube Works, Glasgow

  Kilmaurs Mill

  Robertland Mill

  Taynuilt Railway Station

  Woodmill Mill, Dunfermline

  Three listed industrial buildings have been demolished on public safety grounds in the last four years, all in Glasgow:

  Watson Street Warehouse

  Candleriggs Warehouse, Merchant Village

  Clyde Place Transit Shed

  Six listed industrial buildings have been demolished in the last four years with Listed Building Consent on the grounds that all alternative uses had been explored without success:

  Bridgend Mills, Dalry, Ayrshire

  Tullibody Tannery, Clackmannanshire

  Greenhead Engine Works, Glasgow

  Locher Works, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire

  Ferguslie Thread Works, Dining Hall

  Counting House and Linside Mill, Paisley

  In addition, five listed industrial buildings have been lost to fire, with consequential demolition in some cases:

  Clyde Lead Works, Cornwall St, Glasgow

  Weensland Mill, Hawick

  Larchfield Works, Dundee

  British Ropes, Dalmarnock Rd, Rutherglen

  Phoenix Tube Works, 26 and 50 Dalmarnock Rd (two items), Rutherglen, Glasgow.

Historic Sites

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to secure world heritage status for the Antonine Wall.

Mr Frank McAveety: Historic Scotland, the relevant agency within the Scottish Executive, has formally proposed that the Antonine Wall should form part of a multi-country nomination for a "European Frontiers of the Roman Empire" World Heritage Site. Other participating countries include Germany, Austria and Slovakia in the first instance. This is currently being considered by the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation.

Justice

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights has affected conditions that can be imposed on a person accused of serious and violent crimes who applies for bail and, if so, how these conditions have been affected.

Cathy Jamieson: In granting bail, the court or the Lord Advocate is required by law to impose on the accused the standard conditions, and such further conditions as the court or Lord Advocate considers necessary, to secure that the standard conditions are observed and that the accused makes himself available for participating in an identification parade or for the taking of any print, impression or sample.

  The standard conditions are that the accused appears at the appointed time at every diet relating to the offence with which he is charged of which he is given due notice; does not commit an offence while on bail; does not interfere with witnesses or otherwise obstruct the course of justice whether in relation to himself or any other person, and makes himself available for the purpose of enabling enquiries or a report to be made to assist the court in dealing with him for the offence with which he is charged.

  No changes were necessary to the standard conditions of bail on account of the incorporation of certain rights and fundamental freedoms contained in the European Convention of Human Rights into domestic law. In exercising their discretion to impose any such further conditions of bail as they consider necessary, the courts and the Lord Advocate must not act in any way which is incompatible with an accused person’s Convention rights.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the appointed person’s report under section 291 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 will be laid before the Parliament.

Cathy Jamieson: The appointed person's report is being laid before the Parliament and is also being published today.

  Copies of the report have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 28075).

Prostitutes

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work of the expert group on prostitution tolerance zones and related issues is now under way and when the group’s first report will be available.

Cathy Jamieson: I hope to be able to make an announcement soon on the expert group on street prostitution.

Prostitutes

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members are of the expert group on prostitution, tolerance zones and related issues.

Cathy Jamieson: I hope to be able to make an announcement soon on the membership of the expert group on street prostitution.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which social inclusion partnership projects in Glasgow are under investigation.

Ms Margaret Curran: There are well over 400 projects being funded by Glasgow social inclusion partnerships, of which only three are under investigation, representing a very minor part of their overall work. These are the Wellhouse Centre in Easterhouse, the Barrowfield Family Flat in the East End, and the Oscars Project, also in the East End.

  Robust arrangements are in place for monitoring the performance of the Social Inclusion Partnership Programme. Under the Monitoring Framework, published in December 1999, partnerships are required to monitor their progress and report on this in their annual reports. Communities Scotland undertakes monitoring and appraisal of social inclusion partnerships and they are also subject to an evaluation programme.

Sport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the British Olympic Committee with regard to participation in the football tournament of the Olympic Games in 2012 in the event of London being successful in its bid to host the games.

Mr Frank McAveety: None. This is a matter for the football associations of the four home countries.

Sport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representation it has on the British Olympic Committee and what consultation any such representatives undertake in order to represent the views of Scotland.

Mr Frank McAveety: Neither the Executive nor any administration or government department in the UK is represented on the British Olympic Association.